Month: April 2014

I hope you have been enjoying the Spring! It has been wonderful here in central Virginia. We are spending more time outside. The local farmer’s market is in full swing. Life is great!

I started writing this week’s blog early because a new stop in our journey was to begin this morning, then I received a disappointing phone call last night postponing the new stop. I have accepted a part-time position with as a site manager for a property management company. New realm for me, but exciting. The new adventure will have to wait until later in the week.

Farmer’s Market people are amazing!!! I went to Nelson County community farmer’s market this past Saturday with my sister, as she was helping and friend and did not want to go alone. It was a bit disappointing to be in a venue like that and not be able to sale my own product…but it was a wonderful opportunity. I was able to learn some of the behind the scenes things of how a market works without paying to be a vendor. 😉 I was also able to do some networking…I met some amazing farmers; Heather Coiner at Little Hat Creek Farm, (https://www.facebook.com/littlehatcreek) you MUST try her bread!! John and Jade Sonne at Spruce Creek Farm (https://www.facebook.com/SpruceCreekFarms) are just the friendliest folks I have come across in forever! And John’s mom Priscilla makes the most amazing “butterballs”. YUM!! If you are local you need to check them out on Saturdays. I also met Mark “The Rock Guy” McQuarry. He was so helpful, friendly and kind to my silly sister and I. Mark hand makes some of the most beautiful pieces of rock art out of Nelson Co. soapstone (https://www.etsy.com/shop/studio151). Super cool pieces! He offered some suggested for future shows. I am so excited about the networking that happened. Though I did not get to show the world my art…market day was amazing!!!

I did not make very many pieces of jewelry this week. In fact, it took me four days to make a pair of earrings. My family experienced some trauma when my younger brother was in a car accident. I will not go into details…this not the place or time. But he is alive and will after a bit of work be back to his old self. It was a bit of a setback for me, in that I could not really get much done. I did get some jump rings cut. I will get my flow back.

I am going to get myself going for the day, I have to get some jewelry to their new display at The Corner Spa in Lovingston, Virginia! I am so excited to have the opportunity to place my jewelry somewhere other than in the box when I am done making a piece. So if you are in town and do not have time to contact me, please stop in, see Melanie Embry pick out a piece of jewelry and get your nails done while you are there! So until next we meet at the workbench…keep creating, enjoy your moments and keep your chin up. As always thank you for stopping by and for being on this journey with me.

Greetings from Springtime Virginia! The warmth of Spring, bird chirping, and flowers not planted growing…I love SPRING. The promise of new life. The hope of less grey days ahead. It lifts my spirits and renews my hope is what is to come.

We had the best vendors show this past weekend. Fun, engaging customers, sales were up and the weather was not bad either. It was nice to be close to home, catching up with old friends and enjoying celebrating being from Nelson County!

I decided to do a new take on the traditional door prize. Plastic Easter eggs, basket, coupons and winning tickets! It was a huge hit. So much fun encouraging customers to pick an egg. My mini cave-girl got in on it. She helped people find the basket and pick an egg. Mini-cave girl was amazing! I was so proud of her. Best show we have had. Overall, engagement, sales the whole day was just fantastic.

I am spending today staring at my sketchbook. I have not spent time with my sketchbook in quite sometime. I have been working off the moment. Which has been good. But I think it is time to spend some time planning out some next moves. I have all of these thoughts and ideas floating through my head today. The mini cave-girl is with her granny so I am going to deal with my sketchbook. Just the two of us; my sketchbook and I. So until next we meet at the workbench…keep creating, enjoy your moments and keep your chin up. As always thank you for stopping by and for being on this journey with me.

I failed to post for the last two weeks. I could give you a list of excuses…but the truth is I simply did not know what words to use. Today however my heart is overflowing a bit. I spent much of the last couple weeks preparing for a vendors show two Saturdays ago. To date the best one I’ve had. Still not breaking any craft show records but it was a wonderful experience.

I have another show coming up at the end of this week. I am excited. I am always excited when I get the chance to show off my craft. I have been working on some new ideas…that is a slow process when there are no funds. But it will happen. I believe it will. This is not an easy journey being unemployed, having one income, and being in debt, attempting to start a business…but I am positive on my of those aspects this family is not alone. I have been reminded a lot lately that God is going to give up on us. He has brought us through a lot.

I have been working with some new materials. Planning pieces for when I can purchase the materials and supplies I need to make my visions reality. Resin pendants have been curing around here for the several days. My vision for them is to become make memory collage pendants. Personalize them for customers. I have made a few to take with to my shows. I am wicked excited about them. I am also working on my stamping technique. I am thinking a personalized hand-stamped plaque, collage pendant and a fun charm on a nazzy chain.

Just a little preview of what they could look like!

Rings are on a new level too! Still not able to solder at home. 😦 But I have been trying some new things with wrapping. New earring ideas…I have just been trying all sorts of different things just to use what I have in order to not buy a whole lot of materials.

It is all going to fall into place. I believe that. There are days when the struggle is hard. There are days when the struggle is real. Moments when my mini cave-girl says “Hey guys, you wanna go get some yunch?” And I have to say no because there is no money for going out to eat. It’s not a bad thing, just makes me a little sad. She got over quicker than I did. Love mini’s resilience. But there is a lesson in that…look the disappointment in the eye, say “Aw man.” And move on! So until next we meet at the workbench…keep creating, enjoy your moments and keep your chin up. As always thank you for stopping by and for being on this journey with me.